Launching with a range of luxury hair beauty products, at an affordable price, Neäl & Wølf gives women the opportunity to pamper themselves daily. The Indulgence Redefined launch campaign introduced consumers to a brand that was elegant, premium, beautiful and aspirational.

Strategic and creative agency Propaganda has unveiled a new marketing campaign for premium self-tanning brand Xen-Tan, following a three-month Discovery research programme.

Since its introduction to the UK in 2006, Xen-Tan has quickly established cult brand status based on its exceptional product performance. Having received a number of prestigious awards, including Harpers Bazaar “Best Self Tan 2009” and “Best self tan“ in Elle’s best ever beauty buys, Xen-Tan is fast becoming the firm favourite amongst fashion and beauty press, salon professionals and premium retailers such as Harvey Nichols and Selfridges.

Propaganda was appointed in December 2009 to help accelerate growth of the brand. The new campaign is the result of a three-month strategic programme, which involved research with consumers, retailers and beauty professionals.

The findings identified that tanning is a highly emotional experience linked to body confidence and wellbeing. Despite this, a review of the competition showed the market messaging is focused on the functional, and often negative aspects, of tanning, such as avoiding orange tones, streaking and the potent smell – rather than the positive feelings a consumer gets from a great, natural-looking tan.

With this insight, Propaganda created the new campaign, ‘Joy, Delight, Happiness’, based on real-life emotional feedback from consumers about how Xen-Tan’s exceptional product performance and natural results made them feel.

Xen-Tan’s new campaign was launched to retail and salon partners this month with point of sale, trade press and new e-commerce site due to go live in May.

Alongside this, Propaganda is also developing and managing Xen-Tan’s social media strategy. Designed to complement Xen-Tan’s viral growth to date, Propaganda’s strategy will see the brand engage with the passionate tanning community and encourage them to share their beauty experience and opinions, raising awareness and encouraging trial.

Natalie Roche, Xen-Tan managing director, said: “The new campaign is fantastic – we always knew that Xen-Tan delivers great results, but now that we have a deeper understanding of what the brand actually means to consumers and professionals. Working with Propaganda has opened our eyes to the possibilities for the brand and we look forward to the rolling out the strategy across social networking and the new website.”

Joint managing director, Laura Kynaston added, “Xen-Tan is a great product with a strong brand personality that we have uncovered through research. The new campaign aims to demonstrate the benefits of not just looking good but feeling great too, which is a new and exciting proposition that really resonates with consumers.”

Strategic and creative agency Propaganda has designed and created a new livery for leading retail logistics specialist Clipper, completing the firm’s re-brand programme.

Propaganda has worked closely with Clipper to develop its new brand identity and message, ‘Logistics Evolved’. The insight from the brand discovery undertaken for the firm guided Clipper’s brand development and informed its ‘agility matched by ability’ proposition, which embodies the company values as well as giving direction for the future of the business.

Clipper’s fleet is now a mix of vehicles liveried in Clipper’s sail image with its ‘Logistics Evolved’ message, or Clipper’s animal creative imagery, which graphically articulates its ‘agility matched by ability’ proposition across rigid and curtain-sided trailers. All vehicles use Clipper’s white and green brand colours.

Richard McMurrough, client services director at Propaganda, comments: “We are delighted to launch the new livery, which is so different and striking within the logistics’ industry and marks the final stage of the brand launch strategy. The re-livery ties the brand messaging together and unites Clipper under one consistent identity, which is an integral part of the overall brand strategy.”

Clipper’s managing director Tony Mannix adds: “Our new livery is visually engaging, modern and appropriate for the retail sector in which we operate.

The completion of this process across our nationwide fleet marks a significant milestone in our business journey and is the final piece of the re-branding programme. We have made a significant investment in the future development of our business and our united brand acts as a guiding light that ensures that, as we continue to grow, we retain all of the qualities that our customers tell us make us so different from the competition.”

Strategic and creative agency Propaganda has been appointed to conduct a Discovery research programme to brand products for a new business unit within Huntsman, a global manufacturer and marketer of differentiated chemicals.

Propaganda will use insight from Huntsman’s customers in the UK, Europe and North America to shape and develop engaging messaging platforms for Huntsman.

With around 12,000 employees worldwide and 2009 revenues of approximately US$8 billion, Huntsman has a strong heritage and reputation as a global pioneer of technologies that promise to ‘enrich lives through innovation.’

Originally known for pioneering innovations in packaging and, later, for rapid and integrated growth in petrochemicals, Huntman’s operating companies manufacture products for a variety of global industries, including chemicals, plastics, automotive, aviation, textiles, footwear, paints and coatings, construction, technology, agriculture, health care, detergent, personal care, furniture, appliances and packaging.
Craig Harrold, client services director at Propaganda, said: “Our new relationship with Huntsman highlights Propaganda’s reputation as an increasingly global strategic partner, and the strong results that we have delivered for customers in the past have showcased our ability to create consistent brand communications across a variety of platforms. Propaganda’s expertise in enabling clients to better engage with their customers at all levels and across continents is becoming increasingly sought after, and we are looking forward to working with such an innovative, international brand.”

Huntsman business development director, Dr Robert Portsmouth, added: “Propaganda has demonstrated a strong ability to create engaging brand propositions incorporating global business strategy, and we are eagerly awaiting feedback from the Discovery programme to uncover further insight into the needs of our customers to give us a strong brand foundation that is built upon their needs”

Strategic and creative agency Propaganda is pleased to announce that client FMG Support, the UK’s leading incident management and roadside support company, has been recognised for its employment excellence in the prestigious Sunday Times 100 Best Companies to Work For Guide, published this week.

Propaganda has worked in partnership with FMG Support since 2004 to help the company to understand the importance of consistent delivery of brand and service promises and the positive impact that this can have on employee satisfaction, customers and their business performance.

Working with FMG Support’s strong culture and values, Propaganda developed a strategic internal communication platform along with a variety of tools that has allowed FMG Support to nurture a satisfied workforce, and has had a positive effect on new and existing customer relations. FMG Support understands the importance of its people as an integral part of the day-to-day difference and success of the business, which has been highlighted by this award.

Mark Scanlon, managing director, commented: “As a business, we have always championed the importance of our people as a direct link to delivering excellent service for all of our customers, and so to be recognised within the definitive survey of working satisfaction is a great achievement. We’ve worked together with Propaganda to develop new ways to engage and communicate with our people personally and professionally that have enabled us to draw the best from them.”

Craig Harrold, client services director at Propaganda adds: “Understanding your customers is one thing, but understanding your people is another, and FMG Support does this incredibly well. The team shows immense support to each and every employee and this has a long-lasting effect on the way they deal with their customers and the level of service that they provide. Propaganda encouraged the importance of on-brand, consistent internal communications and set the foundations, but FMG Support put it into practice and this recognition is truly deserved.”

Strategic and creative agency Propaganda has produced a new consumer-facing campaign for leading functional energy drink brand Boost.

A new creative concept for the brand was born as a result of trade and consumer research findings carried out by Propaganda. The campaign ‘It’s a no-brainer’ was created as the theme for the consumer campaign to reflect the simplicity of making the decision to choose Boost. Propaganda wanted to highlight the benefits of Boost’s value combined with great taste proposition, as well as showcasing more of the brand personality to appeal to a broad consumer audience. Propaganda has advised on all areas from the development of the concept, to the creation of the consumer campaign, which will roll out on a regional level starting in Leeds, this spring.
Propaganda and Boost have worked closely since 2008 to build the brand’s overall positioning within the highly saturated soft drinks category with a strategic marketing campaign. As the energy drinks market continues to enjoy a boom, Boost’s sales are up 26% year-on-year.

Focusing primarily on building trade relationships with wholesale and independent retailers, Boost’s quality and value offering has thrived in the recession with trade customers and this success has paved the way to communicate directly with consumers for the first time since the brand was established in 2001.
Kirsty Cowan, group business director at Propaganda, commented: “Since the beginning of our journey with Boost in 2008, we have helped transform the brand to become recognised as the UK’s leading independent energy drink within the soft drinks category. Boost is still a young business with significant potential and is thriving within the trade, where its value proposition has really resonated. During the recession, consumers are demanding better value for money brands, that don’t compromise on taste and performance, so this is an ideal time to launch a strong consumer campaign that communicates Boost’s key proposition.”

Simon Gray, managing director at Boost, added: “It’s a no-brainer’ is a strong creative proposition that sums up the Boost brand for consumers perfectly. Our successful partnership with Propaganda has enabled us to penetrate this arena for the first time and we are looking forward to unveiling the new campaign around the country.”

Leeds-based strategic and creative agency Propaganda has seen off major competition from the UK’s leading creatives to receive the silver Best Charity Commercial award from Creative Circle. The national creative awards body praised the agency’s emotional tribute to murdered teenager Sophie Lancaster, which was developed on behalf of the Sophie Lancaster Foundation.

Propaganda’s entry was evaluated by a rigorous voting panel and was short listed against London-based agencies BBH and WCRS. Established in 1940, Creative Circle is one of the most influential awards open to all creative bodies within the UK. Agencies such as Abbot Mead Vickers, M & C Saatchi and JWT London were just some of the prestigious national companies nominated this year.

Propaganda has worked with the Sophie Lancaster Foundation since it was established in 2007, and chose to create a tribute to the tragically murdered girl to educate people on the importance of tolerance, regardless of subculture. Working closely with French animator Fursey Teyssier and iconic British band Portishead, the haunting and thought provoking two-minute film, the brainchild of Propaganda’s creative director Mark Williams was created over several months and launched in November at a public screening in Manchester.

As a result of this win, The Sophie film will be entered into the Creative Circle annual, to be published later on this year.

Mark Williams, creative director at Propaganda, said: “This is a significant achievement for us, as we were up against some of the biggest players in the creative field. The Sophie film touched us all and it is amazing to be honoured for all of the hard work that went into creating something so memorable.”

The Film was launched to millions on MTV and has recorded close to 150,000 hits on YouTube to date

Strategic and creative agency Propaganda has been appointed by the UK’s leading managed security services specialist Boxing Orange, to deliver a strategic marketing plan following a three-month Discovery programme.

Leeds-based Boxing Orange delivers IT security services & solutions to clients to protect their businesses from internal threats or breaches and external attacks. The firm provides twenty-four hour security seven days a week through a team of highly qualified information security analysts & experts to clients in the online gaming, financial services, central government, logistics, and property and retail sectors.

Propaganda’s intensive Discovery research programme, which included internal customer and competitor reviews and media perspectives, revealed that IT security breaches can significantly impact on business performance, reputation and customer satisfaction. The research also highlighted that the intensity of security breaches is becoming greater and more unpredictable, and businesses need specialist help to take the appropriate action.

The resulting new Boxing Orange brand positioning, ‘tomorrow’s security today’, is aimed at highlighting to businesses the importance of taking a proactive approach to improving their online security measures to prevent attacks happening in the first instance. The new brand positioning will launch this spring to existing customers, prospects and strategic partners.

Phil Ineson, director and co-founder at Boxing Orange, commented: “Our partnership with Propaganda has allowed us to obtain insight that has helped to shape our new brand positioning. We operate within a market of significant and growing opportunities, so to be able to truly demonstrate what Boxing Orange can bring to our customers – based on market insight – will enable us to realise our ambitions for the business, including developing new solutions, deeper engagement with our existing customers, and of course acquiring new ones.”

Craig Harrold, client services director at Propaganda, said: “We are working closely with the senior team at Boxing Orange to drive marketing effectiveness and incremental growth. The new positioning will enable Boxing Orange to deliver against its objectives through raising greater awareness and appreciation of the importance of IT security, and its impact upon business performance, customer service and brand reputation.”

Strategic and creative agency Propaganda has developed a six figure integrated marketing campaign following a process of Discovery research for global weight management programme The Cambridge Diet, to help the internationally-renowned brand increase turnover and unlock growth.

The Cambridge Diet was founded by Dr Alan Howard and is available in more than 20 countries around the world. The Diet is a weight management programme that takes a nutritionally balanced, safe and maintainable approach to weight loss and is based on one-to-one support through a network of Counsellors.

A Discovery programme of research was conducted amongst consumers and representatives to determine the brand’s position within the saturated marketplace and to gain an understanding into the perceptions of the brand amongst key stakeholders. The Discovery research confirmed that the one-to-one guidance throughout the programme appealed to the majority of people and that real life case studies were key motivators for those considering the Cambridge Diet. From this, Propaganda was able to define the brand strategy.

The findings also revealed that the word ‘diet’ held negative connotations for the consumer. With this in mind and the brand’s key objective being to deliver a healthy balanced diet that offers slimmers a strong chance of maintaining their weight goals the programme was re-named ‘Cambridge Weight Plan’.

Propaganda has produced a new corporate visual identity that has been applied to the entire range of packaging and marketing collateral to reveal a more contemporary look and feel.

The new campaign and approach was revealed to an internal launch to the Cambridge Weight Plan’s network of newly re-named Consultants at its annual national two day convention in November 2009.

Following this, the external launch combining national press, ambient and online advertising commenced this week.

Cambridge Weight Plan managing director Eileen Skinner, said: “Working with Propaganda has allowed us to gain a real understanding of what consumers want from a weight plan and we can now tailor our messaging to appeal to a wider audience within a heavily competitive market. The creative concepts are fantastic and we are looking forward to seeing the campaign go live.”

Propaganda planning director, Julian Horberry added: “This has been a really interesting brief as we are dealing with such a long-standing and life changing brand with a strong key message within a crowded market. Based on consumer insight, the new strategy will drive first time and repeat slimmers that are yet to find a weight management programme that really works and we are confident that this new approach will generate further awareness and continued growth for the Cambridge Weight Plan.”